Restraining device for infants



,July 14, 1942. M. PRESPARE 2,289,726

RESTRAININFDEVICE FOR INFANTS Filed Aug. 15, 1940 INVENTOR v MARY PREEPARE I BY ATTOR NEY Patented July 14, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE RESTRAINING DEVICE FOR INFANTS Mary Prespare, Mamaroneck, N. Y.

Application August 15, 1940, Serial No. 352,717

4 Claims.

This invention relates to restraining devices for infants and in particular to such devices for restraining infants against undesirable and possibly dangerous movement while in bed, in a chair or the like.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a device of the character indicated which is economical, simple, comfortable for the infant to wear and which, though allowing the infant suflicient freedom to roll. from side to side, prevents movement to an extent that might become dangerous.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described which will be free of bunches of material or fastenings which might tend to irritate the infant.

Still another object of the invention is to pro-' vide such a device, part of which can be worn without discomfort when the infant is not held in place in bed and which can be readily and simply disengaged or engaged with the other part.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a device which can be easily applied to the infant and which cannot become tangled in application or use.

Still further objects will become apparent as the description of the preferred form of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, proceeds. Though the description and illustration merely point out the preferred form of the invention, variations in the same may be made and still remain within the scope of the invention.

In reference to the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows a front view of the harness applied to an infant but before it is secured in place.

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the showing of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side view showing the harness applied as, in Fig. 1 but with the fastening ties drawn around toward fastening position.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the fastening ties secured.

Fig. 5 is a view showing the infant in position in bed with the securing ties made fast to the safety strap.

Fig. 6 is a view of the complete harness laid out in the flat and Fig. '7 is a complete view of the cooperating safety strap laid out in the fiat.

The restraining device of my invention consists of a harness generally shown at l and a safety strap generally shown at 2. A bib 3 forms one part of the harness and, as shown, overlies the front of the infant, but this position might be reversed if the sleeping position of the infant so dictates. In other words, the bib 3 as shown engages the front, or ventral, aspect of the thorax, but the harness could just as well be reversed so that the bib 3 engages the back, or dorsal, aspect of the thorax. Securing or crossstraps 4 and 5, extending from the top of the bib, at opposite sides thereof, form the other part of the harness. Obviously these straps engage the aspect of the thorax opposite from that engaged by the bib 3. These straps, as shown, are formed integrally with the bib, A slot 6 slightly longer than the width of the strap is provided longitudinally of the strap 5 and approximately intermediate the ends thereof. The sides ofslot 6 are reinforced at i (Fig. 6) by pieces of material which are passed therethrough, folded down over the adjacent cloth on either side and sewn in place there. The reinforcement l is not shown in Figs. 3 and 5, as the showing there would be too small and would cause confusion.

The free ends of the straps 4 and 5 have ties extending therefrom, each tie on the end of strap shown, but the ties on each strap may overlie each other where they are joined to the strap. This would simplify the securing by sewing or the like when separate pieces are to be employed as ties.

The opposite bottom corners of the bib 3 are provided with identical slots l0 whose length is just a little greater than the width of the straps 4 and 5. The material alongside of these slots is reinforced at H in the same manner as the reinforcing of the slot 6 by the material I.

The safety strap 2, best shown in Fig. 7, is provided with pairs of ties l2 and I3 at the ends thereof, These ties may be integral with the strap 2 or be secured thereto in the same manner as the ties 8, 8 and 9, 9 are secured to the ends of the straps 4 and 5. Transverse slots l4 and I5 are provided in the safety strap 2 in selected positions, which, as here shown, are on either side of the longitudinal center of the strap 2. This positioning should locate the infant about in the center of a bed for which the strap 2 is designed, but, of course, any other location can be provided for. The slots l4 and I5 are equipped with longitudinal reinforcement at l6 and I! similar to the reinforcement described for slots 6 and ID.

The application and operation of the device need be described but briefly. The harness I is applied to the infant by placing the bib 3 over the infants chest, carrying the securing or crossstraps 4 and 5 over the shoulders and crossing such straps over the infants back by drawing the strap 4 through the slot 6 of the strap 5. The straps 4 and 5 are then brought downward and forward around the infant so that the ties 8, 8 and 9, 9, as well as a portion of the straps 4 and 5 adjacent the ends thereof, may be drawn through the slots It in the bib 3. From this position the direction of the straps is reversed and they are drawn back around to where their free ends substantially meet at the middle of the infants back. One pair of the ties on the free ends of the straps 4 and 5, such as 8, 8, is then tied together in any desired manner so that the harness is now secured in place on the infant (Fig. 4).

If it is now desired to put the infant to bed, he is placed in desired position with the remaining free pair of ties 9, 9 accessible. The safety strap 2 now has one of its ends secured to the bed by means of one of the pairs of ties l2 and I3 and the strap is then drawn across the infant. One of the ties 9, 9 is then brought through the slot I4, while the other is brought through the slot enabling them to be tied together on the side of the strap 2 away from the infant. The free end of the strap 2 may now be secured to the opposite side of the bed, if this has not already been done, by means of remaining free pair of the ties l2 and [3. The infant is now secured in place and given whatever freedom of movement is desired by leaving slack in fastening the strap 2 and combining that slack with whatever slack is desired to be left in tying members 9, 9 in place. These two adjustments introduce considerable latitude into the restriction that can be put upon the infants movement.

Should it be desired to pick the infant up at any time, the same can be quickly and simply done by merely untying the ties 9, 9 and sliding him out from under the the strap 2. The harness would not be in the Way, so can be left on until he is put back in bed or can be used for securing him in a chair or in other desired positions by means of the now free ties 9, 9.

The simplicity, economy, comfort, and convenience of the device of this invention is thought to be self -evident from the above teaching. Likewise, variations in fastenings, materials and the like will suggest themselves to one skilled in this art, due to the abundance of such on the market today.

Since the disclosure is merely illustrative, such changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims:

1. A restraining device for infants comprising a harness having a bib for engaging one aspect of the thorax of the infant and securing straps for engaging the opposite aspect of the infants thorax, means to position the securing straps to secure the harness in place on the infant and a safety strap to restrict the movement of the infant, means on the harness to engage the safety strap and means on the safety strap to receive the engaging means on the harness.

2. In a restraining device for infants, in combination, a harness and a safety strap, said harness comprising a bib portion and securing straps, fastening means on the ends of said securing straps to secure the same together and to engage said safety strap and means on said safety strap to receive said fastening means whereby an infant may be restricted in movement.

3. A restraining device for infants comprising a harness member having a bib portion for engaging one aspect of the thorax of the infant, cross straps extending from said bib portion to cross on the aspect of the thorax of said infant, means on said bib portion to receive said cross straps and reverse their direction, means on the end of said cross straps to secure the same together, a safety strap to be secured in place on a bed or the like, additional securing means on said cross straps and means on said safety strap to engage said additional securing means.

4. A harness for an infant comprising a bib for engaging one aspect of the thorax of the infant, straps extending from one end of said bib, means at the free ends of said straps for securing the same together, means for retaining the proper angular relation of the straps when they are crossed over and means adjacent said other end of the bib for receiving said straps to enable their direction to be reversed.

MARY PRESPARE.

CERTIFICATE or CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,289,726. July it, 1'9l 2.

- mm! PRESPARE. v

' It is herebj certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page2, sec- 0nd column, line 5b., claim 5, before the word- "sspect" insert --opposite-;'

and" that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction there- I in that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this th qa i 'or'A rii, A. D. 19b5,

I Henry .Van Arsdale,

(Seal) Acting Commissioner of t t 

